<Chapter 48>
#5. The Throb of Excitement (3)
Knock knock.
At the duller sound than that of knocking on a door, Calix raised his head. Lila, sitting across from him, was staring at him with the corners of her eyes raised. On the table between them lay a document file, the purpose of their meeting today.
“You left the banquet hall early yesterday too. Did something happen?”
Conventionally, the host of an exchange meeting was expected to remain at the banquet hall until the end as a matter of courtesy. Of course, Calix wasn’t particularly one to care about such things, but normally he would have at least made a brief appearance when the banquet was ending. However, the previous night, Angel, known as his assistant, had filled that position alone.
Of course, since Angel was quite handsome and handled things extremely well, there were no complaints in the banquet hall. Because Calix had been showing an uncomfortable expression throughout the banquet, no one found it strange that his lieutenant appeared in his place. If Calix had seemed normal yesterday, even Lila wouldn’t have questioned his absence from the banquet hall at all.
“Mind your own business.”
Instead of answering Lila’s question, Calix took what she had brought. Carefully observing his attitude, which was clearly distracted by other matters, Lila tilted her head, cupping her cheek with her right hand.
“You’re being too cold, even though I helped you yesterday.”
“You didn’t help me; we made a deal. Isn’t this the evidence of that deal?”
Calix lightly flicked the document in his hand. Watching the document that had passed from her hands flutter, Lila shrugged. The document now in Calix’s hands was the price for separating Johaim from Melty at the banquet hall.
While observing Calix smoothly reading through the document, she tilted her teacup. The tea moistening her mouth was at just the right temperature and aroma she liked. Moreover, the eye candy in front of her was perfect. Although she had excluded Calix from her list of potential husband candidates, Lila intended to fully enjoy his good looks.
One sip of tea, then a glance at Calix’s prominent nose.
Another sip of tea, and a glimpse of those sharp, clear golden eyes.
Another sip of tea and…
“…If you’re lacking food, I can have more refreshments brought, so would you mind stopping looking at my face like it’s so delicious?”
Unable to bear her piercing gaze any longer, Calix spoke up. Despite his irritated tone, Lila didn’t back down at all.
“Looking at your face is more beneficial and enjoyable than refreshments, Calix-nim.”
“The meaning of ‘beneficial’ seems quite different from what I understood it to be.”
“Oh my, is that so?”
After a brief chuckle pretending she hadn’t known, Lila examined Calix’s face more boldly. Feeling tired from just her intense gaze, Calix hurriedly scanned the document in front of him. Then he quickly signed the bottom part and affixed his seal.
“I thought there would be some additional negotiations… You’re fast.”
“Negotiations only apply to those who don’t know their place and are overly greedy. This level is not a bad condition for our side either.”
One of the two pages of the document returned to Lila. Satisfaction appeared on her face as she received the document from Calix and checked its contents. She may not have found a husband who perfectly matched her taste, but this document was sufficient compensation for that loss.
What she had obtained in exchange for removing Johaim’s attention from Melty was more than adequate compensation. While it had been a trivial action for her, in the eyes of a man in love, it might have seemed like a very important task. From that perspective, this reward was by no means excessive.
“Getting such a reward for helping Calix-nim once. How generous and nice.”
Lila smiled, her face full of satisfaction. Calix, glancing at her with narrowed eyes, pressed the corners of his eyes with his hand. Though the morning had started out not too badly, his mood was not very good now.
Recalling how Melty had been suddenly avoiding him since mealtime, just like when they first met, Calix swallowed a sigh into his throat as he felt a throbbing headache. He couldn’t even gauge what part of his behavior or words had been wrong to make Melty averse to him again.
‘No matter how much I think about it, I don’t think I made any mistakes. Even in bed, wasn’t the atmosphere good?’
Groaning slightly, Calix glanced sideways at Lila sitting across from him. Though he had come to the reception room with an uneasy and disgruntled feeling due to this scheduled meeting with her, his mind had already left this place long ago.
If he had time to waste here, he would rather spend it hovering around Melty. First, it was important to figure out when and why Melty’s mood had soured.
Contrary to his feelings, Lila showed no intention of leaving, even though the deal was concluded.
“Aren’t you going to leave?”
“Is there any reason I should leave? The meeting will start in a little while anyway.”
Calix frowned at the sight of her still sipping her tea even though she had finished checking the document. Now that the banquet where everyone checked each other’s faces and exchanged light greetings was over, the meeting to discuss the situations and issues of each region remained.
“I hope you’re not suggesting we move together.”
“Since we’re in the same space for once, wouldn’t it be okay to ask for an escort?”
It seemed like they were having completely different conversations despite being in the same space. Calix let out a short laugh at her posture, which suggested she might force the escort duty on him. As if he didn’t already have enough to worry about, her attitude couldn’t help but be irritating.
‘If I had let her know that her gift wasn’t worth much, I would have told her to get lost immediately.’
The connection with her that he had confirmed through his gift was a positive light. Though it wasn’t as intense as what he had seen with Melty, it wouldn’t be harmful.
“It’s up to you where you stay before going to the meeting room.”
His indifferent response clearly expressed that he had no intention of escorting her. Despite Calix’s firm reply, Lila wasn’t particularly displeased. Calix Kuse Padrian was originally that kind of person, and that’s what made him an attractive figure.
‘It’s definitely a shame that I didn’t even have a chance to aim for him…’
He was certainly a very valuable potential groom candidate, even upon reconsideration.
Her long, slender fingers picked up a cookie. Biting into the cookie with a crunching sound, she observed Calix. He held another document in his hand. But his eyes were fixedly staring at one point. Convinced that he wasn’t examining the document at all, she began to speculate about the cause, both to pass her own time and to satisfy her curiosity.
“By the way, will Melty-ssi attend the meeting?”
As soon as she brought up Melty’s name as a topic, Calix lowered the document he had been reading. Though he didn’t speak about Melty’s attendance at the meeting room, the meaning of “warning” conveyed by his sharp gaze was sufficiently clear.
“Will he not?”
“Why have you been so interested in him since the banquet?”
“It’s only natural to be interested in a friend.”
Lila answered with a bright smile, her fingertips touching together. Calix found her answer ridiculous. Lila McNeil, a fox beastperson, and Melty Crosel, a hamster beastperson, had clearly met for the first time yesterday. Yet she was boldly claiming that he was her friend. To Calix, who knew they had met for the first time at yesterday’s banquet, it was a laughable answer.
“Calling someone a ‘friend’ after exchanging words just once. Ms. Lila McNeil must have thousands of friends.”
“I certainly have more friends than Calix-nim.”
Not backing down from Calix’s sarcastic tone, she chuckled and responded leisurely. Looking at her with a disapproving gaze, Calix replied with his lips twisted upward.
“Is that so? That’s fortunate then. Why don’t you go have fun with those many friends of yours?”
Lila frowned at his attitude, which was blatantly putting up a wall and telling her not to approach Melty. Having easily gained the upper hand from her, Calix ignored her gaze and stood up. He walked towards the door as if he had no intention of continuing the conversation, then turned to look at her, whose face was full of an expression that said ‘I’ve been had.’
“It’s a reception room, but feel free to rest. I’ll see you in the meeting room.”
Lila stared blankly at his back as he disappeared in an instant. Moistening her lips with the now cold tea, Lila pouted.
“We were already on the same side once, but this is too much.”
Replacing her dissatisfaction with an empty teacup, she turned halfway towards the firmly closed door and rested her chin on her hand. As far as she knew, there was only one person capable of stirring Calix Kuse Padrian to such an extent, and not just anyone else. And pleasantly, she already knew who that one person was.
“Good.”
Her first purpose in coming to this exchange meeting, finding a husband, had been abandoned long ago, and she had already achieved a good accomplishment to showcase to her family. With the most important purposes already fulfilled, there was only one thing left for her to aim for during the remaining exchange meeting.
“I can’t just let go of something this interesting.”
Humming a tune, she rose from her seat and adjusted her attire. If Calix wouldn’t tell her, she could ask the person on the other side. Sharp and perceptive, she immediately recognized who would wield absolute power in the Padrian family in the future.
“They say the one who falls in love first loses. Then I’ll slowly go find that cute one who can satisfy this curiosity of mine.”
